


Beyond the Stars

by CommanderRoastedWolf



Series: By The Stars [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fantasy AU, Medieval AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 03:34:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11912355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommanderRoastedWolf/pseuds/CommanderRoastedWolf
Summary: Fareeha and Angela have finally arrived in the West. But not all is well - the darkness born in the East has just begun, and is spreading across the world. Gates are opening, the West failing. All points to a certain end of not only this world, but the next. Only one gleaming hope remains: the Pale and their Northern fortress far, far away.





	Beyond the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warning for violence and gore.

 

“Angela!”

The wind rips hotly at her cloak like an impatient lover, dragging her backwards as her breath rattles against her helm. The world is a blinding sheet of white around her, snow hurling itself from the darkening sky above, lightning clawing across the storm clouds and briefly electrifying the forest.

She is quite alone. She can see nothing – nothing except a few feet in front of her as she struggles ahead, _Raptora_ in one hand, Silas’ reins in the other, her legs sinking deep into the snow with every step. She is aching. Exhausted. Every movement is agony, the hot flare of blood weeping from the wound in her flank leaving behind a precious red trail. She glances down at it carelessly, half a thought coming to her. _I should hide it. They’re coming._

But that is too much effort.

She calls out again, her voice feeble. It is torn away from her, being carried far, far away from her. No one replies. A sob claws its way out of her chest, her tears freezing where they fall against her cheeks. _Keep going. Just keep going._

A shadow moves a little way ahead of her. Huge. A beast in the blizzard. Its back arches and her heart skips a beat in fear, the storm carrying its hissing snarl towards her. She lets go of Silas’ reins, taking _Raptora_ in both hands and bracing herself, forgoing a challenge and glaring ahead as the demon takes form. Shaped like some monstrous cross between a wolf and a bear, its muzzle parts thrice as it roars. She feels its evil deep inside her, forming a fist in her heart as the blood stains on her hands burn in response.

_Come on then. I’ll cut you down like the rest of your kin, you crackbrained piece of fetid rot._

The insult feels weak as the demon rushes towards her, the burning bright stars of its eyes holding her in place, its monstrous body coursing her with the surety of a great bulking wave, mouth opening wide to devour her – body and soul and there is naught she can do to stop it. _Raptora_ feels so heavy. So heavy and dense and she tries to lift it, but somehow the eyes are swallowing her, spinning the world around and around and–

Something slams into her. She stumbles into the snow, falling flat, hearing a shriek of pain. Ignoring the screaming of her side, she shoves herself up, watching in awe as Silas rears, braying bravely, his forelegs lashing out. The demon bellows its frustration, backing away – she sees with some satisfaction that half its head has caved in, no doubt from Silas’ mighty hooves.

Silas slams onto all fours, his huge body moving ghostlike as he places himself firmly between her and the demon. She hears his breath, sees his flanks heaving under the saddle and layers of blankets she dressed him in to keep him warm. He snorts, and paws the ground, kicking up snow. Snow settles on his back, coating him in white. The demon lets out a scream of laughter. Thunder peals across the sky like the God themself, and Fareeha struggles to her feet, ignoring the way the world shifts and spins around her.

_Just a little longer._

Pleading for the God to give her strength, Fareeha takes several steps forward, _Raptora_ shaking as she grips it tightly. Her legs tremble below her, and it takes every ounce of strength not to collapse into the snow. But she manages it, clenching her jaw against a fresh wave of dread. Her side is now leaking blood everywhere. She can smell its tang through the icy cold of the growing night; the demon’s nostrils flare. It can smell it too.

Silas suddenly charges. She lets out a shout, but the warhorse ignores her, bulling headlong into the demon. The demon vaults up onto its hind legs and the pair lash out at each other – blood, thick as the night, sprays out from Silas’ chest. He squeals with pain, lurching away, hind legs springing out to catch the creature’s ribs.

Fareeha tries to move closer, but she is beaten back as the demon twists on her – faster than she can see – and reaches for her with one massive paw. But Silas is there again, bellowing, lashing out with his blunt teeth, ears pressed against his head, his pelt shining with sweat as he blocks the demon’s path. She calls his name, but the horse seems intent, his hooves finding the space under the demon’s jaw and striking out so hard that flesh rends from flesh.

The demon unleashes another shriek, its jaw flying away from it and landing some distance away. Tongue lolling from the bloody remains of its mouth, it slithers backwards, claws churning up the dappled red snow, its eyes burning bright as the sky darkens around them. Silas drives the demon backwards, snorting and pawing at the earth, grunting and roaring, herding it into the trees, away from Fareeha. His body steams in the dark as his sweat evaporates and freezes about him.

The pair clash together with a mighty blow. Silas’ teeth find the spot at the demon’s throat, digging deep even as the demon’s claws rake at his belly. Fareeha surges to her feet, nearly collapsing again as pain explodes up her side, horrified, staring as the two dancing fighters sway and collapse to the ground with a crash of muscle on muscle, biting and scratching and kicking, deep purple snakes bursting out of Silas’ belly as demon blood sprays across his brave face.

 _“Silas!”_ The scream is wrenched out of her. Her legs give under her as Silas gives an almighty bellow of agony. The demon dies all at once, the howling wind gathering its remains up and out of sight, dusting the furrowed sky above with its bones.

She crawls towards him, sight blurred as he kicks and screams, his eyes wide and panicked and pained. _Raptora_ feels limp in her hands – she barely has the energy to keep a hold of it as she finally finds herself at his side, inspecting the damage for herself.

His forelegs are shattered, twisted, hind legs kicking out blindly as though to escape the pain. Legs that had once bore her to countless victories, strong and powerful and great. His belly has been torn asunder, his insides splayed out across the snow, the heat of it steaming in the icy cold. Blood weeps hot and red from wounds across his body - a deep one across his chest tears the white star, for which he was named, open. It is over. She knows it. All she can do is save him further torment.

She rests her hand gently on his great cheek, feeling him still under her touch. His dark eye finds her, already spreading wide as death seeks him.

She readies _Raptora._

“Ride amongst the Stars, my friend,” she whispers. “May freedom find your spirit, and the dark horse of death guide you to the herd above.”

 _Raptora_ slides easily into Silas’ heart. He lets out a last, shuddering sigh, and is done. The strength leaves her and she collapses forward, heaving great sobs into the cooling corpse of her noble steed.


End file.
